Casual workers tell inquest of horror jobs

By Nathan Paull

February 13, 2012 — 5.37pm

A call centre operator who saw two colleagues wet themselves because they were not allowed toilet breaks is among the first of many to speak at a national inquest into the poor working conditions and job security of casual employees.

The Howe inquiry into insecure jobs and how they affect the community started in Brisbane on Monday.

Chaired by former deputy prime minister Brian Howe, its hearings will be held in 23 locations nationally.

TAB call centre employee Peggy Mager told the inquest on Monday she had worked as a casual for 26 years but, in recent years, her hours were often drastically cut or changed without notice.

She said conditions had dropped too, with staff being told they were allowed to spend a maximum of three per cent of their shift on toilet and drink breaks.

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‘‘Two women have had accidents because of that reason, which is deplorable,’’ she said.

‘‘We’re like mice scrambling for any shifts that we can get, and it’s demeaning and we’re of no value.

‘‘We’re just a bum on a seat.’’

University academic Marianne Treuen told the inquest she had not had paid annual leave since 1995.

She said she was forced to work at several universities around southeast Queensland just to make ends meet and during holiday periods she had no income at all.

‘‘My husband supports me. Isn’t that a terrible thing to say?’’ she said. ‘‘But that’s what it comes down to.’’

Other casual employees who took the stand on Monday chose to do so behind closed doors, fearful of what their employers would do if they knew they were giving evidence against them.

Mr Howe said that was one of the biggest challenges facing the inquiry.

‘‘Casual workers often have a problem, but they won’t be able to speak out about it because they are threatened that whatever small job they have, they won’t have any job if they’re seen as a trouble-maker,’’ he said.

Ahead of the inquiry’s opening, Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams told reporters an increase in casual and labour-hire employment had been a problem in Australia for the past two decades and would only get worse.

‘‘If we don’t watch it, in the next 10 years more than half of Australia’s workforce won’t have permanent jobs,’’ he said.

‘‘That’s what we’re trying to stop.’’

Mr Battams said Spain was the only western economy to have a higher rate of insecure employment than Australia.

The federal government must adopt laws similar to those in other developed countries where casual and part-time workers had to be offered a permanent position after a certain amount of time, he said.

The inquiry will consider the rights and entitlements that can best assist to provide security for workers.